Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 551 - 575 of 746
A Texas man pleaded guilty last week, by waiver, and paid $200 in fines and costs to the Antelope County court, for 2016 offenses. Daniel G. Sanchez, 31, of Brownsville, Texas, was cited in Clearwater by an Antelope County deputy in September 2016 for no proof of financial responsibility, a Class 2 misdemeanor; no operator’s license, a Class 3 misdemeanor; and speeding, 10 miles per hour over the posted limit, an infraction. He was given a court date of Oct. 5, 2016, which he failed to keep. A warrant was issued for his arrest and was r...
"You say you are not a monster. You are wrong. You are." Those were words the Honorable Mark Johnson had for Roger D. Stuckwisch in the Antelope County district courtroom last Wednesday morning, before he passed sentence on the former Tilden resident who was convicted of six crimes in a sexual assault case with victims as young as four years of age. Stuckwisch was sentenced to the Nebraska Department of Corrections for not less than 30 years, nor more than 40 years on his conviction of...
Two defendants arrested near Clearwater on Sept. 29, accused of theft by receiving stolen property, $1,500-$4,999, related to a stolen Suburban, had their bonds reduced by the Honorable Donna Taylor last week They waived their rights to preliminary hearings when they faced Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom and were bound over to Antelope County district court. Both were set for district court arraignment Oct. 28. Christopher J. Alexander, 22, of Omaha, was accompanied by his court-appointed attorney, Martin Klein of Neligh. Klein asked...
Robert M. Gotschall, 35, of Atkinson was sentenced to an 18-month term of probation by the Honorable Mark Kozisek, in the Holt County district court at O'Neill on Monday. Gotschall was originally charged in county court with a Class 3A felony count of abusing a vulnerable adult. He pleaded guilty to a Class 1 misdemeanor, third-degree assault when he appeared for arraignment in district court Aug. 31, pursuant to a plea deal with Holt County prosecutor Brent Kelly. The offense was committed May 4 in Atkinson, when Gotschall struck an elderly...
Christopher L. Beltz, 33, of Plainview faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County court last Wednesday, Oct. 21, without counsel, on a Class 1 misdemeanor count of child abuse/neglect, alleged Aug. 17. Beltz requested a continuance to allow retaining an attorney. Taylor granted the request and set further arraignment for Nov. 18. If convicted, Beltz faces a penalty of up to $1,000 and/or one-year incarceration, in addition to possible restitution. Three Elgin men, who faced Taylor on charges stemming from a fight at 306 Pine...
Rebecca D. Strong, 56, of Stuart, appeared before the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom Tuesday, Oct. 20, accused of a Class 2 misdemeanor, theft by deception. Strong pleaded guilty to obtaining by deception, between Jan. 1, 2006, and Dec. 31, 2010, three Liberty half dollars, having a value of $200 or less. The complaint was filed Oct. 1 this year. Burdick fined Strong $100 and taxed her $50 cost of prosecution. Ross A. Gribble, 21, of O’Neill pleaded guilty, by waiver, to a count of fur harvest/possess fur without a p...
Antelope County court proceedings got off to a late start last Wednesday, Oct. 21, due to the county prosecutor being involved in a Nebraska Tax Equalization and Review hearing, remotely, with other county officials. Once county attorney Joe Abler arrived in the courtroom, the Honorable Donna Taylor and the court staff worked through a lengthy docket in short order, finishing with criminal cases by about 11 a.m. Fernando J. Hernandez, 36, of Fremont faced Taylor with his attorney, Dennis Morland of Norfolk, for further arraignment of a Class W...
David A. Carr, 25, of O’Neill was sentenced to serve 90 days in the Holt County Jail by the Honorable Mark Kozisek, during Holt County district court proceedings, Monday, Oct. 19. Carr was given credit for 23 days previously served. Providing he loses none of his good time, he must serve 30 days before his mandatory release. He was remanded to the custody of Holt County sheriff Ben Matchett. Carr was convicted Aug. 11 of a Class 4 felony, committed in November 2019, attempted failure to register under the Sex Offender Registration Act, p...
Two defendants were bound over to Holt County district court by the Honorable Kale Burdick when he presided over Holt County court last Tuesday, Oct. 13. Andrew F. Clark, 53, of O’Neill appeared before Burdick in two separate cases. The first case included two counts alleged June 16 in rural Holt County, second-degree trespassing, a Class 2 misdemeanor; and criminal mischief, less than $500, a Class 3 misdemeanor. He pleaded not guilty to both counts and pretrial is set Nov. 17. The second case includes two felony counts alleged July 16, p...
An Antelope County district court civil case has been rescheduled, after a mistrial was called by the Honorable Mark Johnson on Monday, Oct. 5. The case, brought by plaintiff Jennie Schrage of Clearwater, individually, and as administrator of the estate of Cyril Schrage, deceased, was originally filed by the Schrages' attorney Jason Ausman of Ausman Law Firm in Omaha on Feb. 12, 2018, prior to Cyril Schrage's May 29, 2018 death. An amended complaint was filed Sept. 28 by Ausman. Defendants are...
The Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts released results of Holt County’s annual audit late last month. The report covers July 2019 through June 2020 and includes numerous areas of concern for internal control that were listed in a letter sent to the county board of supervisors Sept. 25. The report is a matter of public record and is posted on the APA’s website. Deann Haeffner, APA assistant deputy auditor, noted in the letter that the report is “critical in nature” as it addresses areas noted for improvement and does not include observa...
A 55-year-old O’Neill man waived his right to preliminary hearing when he faced the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom last Tuesday, Oct. 5, and was bound over to Holt County district court on a charge of first-degree sexual assault. Ronald J. Ross Jr. is scheduled to appear for arraignment in the district courtroom Nov. 9, on the Class 2 felony, alleged between March 2008 and March 2009. The complaint was filed by Holt County attorney Brent Kelly last month. Ross is represented by Bergan E. Schumacher and the firm Bruner F...
Two defendants faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last Tuesday, Sept. 29, on charges related to a stolen vehicle that was recovered near Clearwater on Sept. 20. Antelope County deputy Cameron Lehr was pulling out of Hi-Way Mart while on patrol Sept. 20, when he observed an unplated GMC Suburban passing another vehicle. Lehr conducted a traffic stop outside of town on Highway 275. The driver, Christopher J. Alexander, 22, of Omaha told the deputy he had not had time to license the vehicle due to...
A South Carolina man who has been jailed in Nebraska since last December, was sentenced to serve not less than four, nor more than eight years in a facility under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Corrections for a crime committed in Antelope County. Accompanied by public defender Melissa Figueroa of Norfolk, Robert Wagle was handed the sentence in the Antelope County district courtroom Sept. 30 by the Honorable Mark Johnson. In an allocution statement, Figueroa told Johnson her client thought the vehicle belonged to his employer,...
Natasha R. Destin, 30, of Houston, Texas, was allowed by the Honorable Kale Burdick to resolve a 2016 Holt County court case by waiver. She pleaded guilty to four counts on an amended complaint filed by Holt County attorney Brent Kelly on Sept. 17, Count I, operate vehicle during time of suspension, a Class 3 misdemeanor (reduced by Kelly, from a Class 2 misdemeanor, driving during revocation); Count II, possession of marijuana, an infraction; Count III, no operator’s license on person, a Class 3 misdemeanor; and Count IV, possession of drug p...
CW Schonemann, 49, who resides at 307 Montana Street in Clearwater, appeared in Antelope County court in Neligh last Wednesday, Sept. 16, for trial. The case involved violation of a village nuisance ordinance, with the date of violation noted as June 12. The Honorable Donna Taylor presided, with the village attorney, Joe McNally, as prosecutor. McNally presented photos and other evidence and called village clerk Tina Snider and Antelope County deputy John Shaver to the stand to testify. Shaver testified Schonemann had refused an offer by the vi...
Kyle R. Boettcher, 30, of Stuart faced the Honorable Mark Kozisek on Sept. 14 for resentencing after his probation was revoked. Kozisek ordered Boettcher serve 180 days in the Holt County Jail, with credit allowed for 65 days previously served. In addition, he was fined $100, taxed court costs of $75.82, in addition to the original $147 assessed last year, and accrued probation costs of $330. Boettcher was remanded to the custody of the Holt County sheriff. Boettcher admitted nine of 10 violations pursuant to a plea deal with county prosecutor...
Matthew D. Kershaw, 39, formerly of Ewing, currently an inmate in the Colorado Department of Corrections facility in Golden, appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom, electronically, to enter pleas to 2011 Nebraska charges. Kershaw’s attorney, Frederick Bartell of Norfolk, appeared in person. A plea deal was announced, resulting in Kershaw pleading guilty to one misdemeanor count, criminal mischief, $500 to $1,500, and agreeing to pay restitution. Two felony counts, possession of a firearm by a p...
Kraig A. Brown, 33, a former O’Neill resident who is currently incarcerated, faced the Honorable Kale Burdick, electronically from the Omaha Correction Center, last Tuesday, Sept. 15. Pursuant to a plea deal with Holt County attorney Brent Kelly, Brown pleaded guilty to four counts committed March 1, careless driving, an infraction; no proof of financial responsibility, a Class 2 misdemeanor; no valid registration, a Class 3 misdemeanor; and no operator’s license, also a Class 3 misdemeanor. In return, Kelly recommended fines only. Burdick sen...
Cindy K. Hauf, 58, of O’Neill faced the Honorable Kale Burdick last Tuesday, Sept. 8, for further arraignment on two Class 1 misdemeanor counts of third-degree assault. Hauf reached agreement with Holt County prosecutor, Brent Kelly, resulting in an amended complaint for a single count, a Class 2 misdemeanor, assault by mutual consent. She pleaded guilty and Burdick sentenced her to a $200 fine and assessed her $50 costs of prosecution. Tommy J. Nelson, 23, of Lyons, faced Burdick for a...
Dennis C. Statler, 50, of Neligh faced the Honorable Donna Taylor last Wednesday, Sept. 2, in the Antelope County courtroom for sentencing on a Class 1 misdemeanor count of domestic assault, cause body injury, committed March 31. He was sentenced to a 12-month term of probation, including related fees totaling $390 and $60 costs of prosecution. In addition to standard terms of probation, Statler was ordered to complete a co-occurring evaluation and to follow recommendations; complete an initial diagnostic interview for Batterer’s I...
Drew W. Steskal, 31, of Spencer, appeared in Antelope County court last Wednesday, Sept. 2, following an Aug. 31 crash northwest of Clearwater and an extensive subsequent search for the driver. According to documents filed by Antelope County sheriff Bob Moore, passersby had reported an abandoned vehicle about three miles northwest of Clearwater. Moore reported finding a red Ford Escort in the west ditch of a county road, about 200 yards north of the highway, with the driver door open. Moore said evidence indicated the vehicle had entered Cliffo...
Ronald E. Frazier, 48, of Neligh faced the Honorable Mark Johnson in the Antelope County district courtroom last Wednesday, Aug. 26, for arraignment on count of making terroristic threats. Frazier faces a possible penalty, if convicted of the Class 3A felony alleged July 6 at a Neligh bar, of up to three years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine, or both. Accompanied by public defender Patrick Carney of Norfolk, Frazier entered a not guilty plea. Pretrial hearing is set Sept. 30, with a jury trial scheduled for Jan. 19, 2021. Bond, in the...
Criminal complaints were filed earlier this month for failing to control noxious weeds on 10 area farms. Complaints alleged the defendants failed to control leafy spurge, despite individual notices sent to each of them June 17. Convictions would have subjected the defendants to potential fines of $1,500 each. Nine of 10 complaints were dismissed last week by Antelope County attorney Joe Abler, after the landowners or managers, Antelope County weed superintendent Bruce Ofe and Abler came to an agreement. The Noxious Weed Control Act governs...
Kristy R. Elliott, 50, of O’Neill faced the Honorable Kale Burdick for sentencing in the Holt County courtroom Tuesday, Aug. 18. Elliot was convicted of three counts committed April 15, Count I, driving under the influence of alcohol, first offense, a Class W misdemeanor; Count II, leave scene of property damage accident, a Class 3 misdemeanor; and Count III, reckless driving, also a Class 3 misdemeanor, Burdick sentenced her to a $500 fine, a 12-month term of probation, including $390 probation fees and 50 hours of community service, r...
